It Will Come To Pass

By Summer

Beta Read by: Kathryn

Prequel to It Has Come To Pass

Class: Gen, eventually slash, Movie Verse (which would make Frodo and Sam closer to the same age.)

Rating: G, drabble

Disclaimer: I don’t own them.

Writer’s Note: One alteration has been made, In Tolkien’s world, Frodo’s birth was in September, the same as Bilbo’s. I am altering this to Frodo’s birth being somewhere in the winter months.

It had all started out naturally enough; it was nearing Yuletide and Drogo and Primula had wanted a few days to themselves. They had asked Bilbo, earlier in the spring, if he would be willing to take their young child for a few weeks. Bilbo had adored his young cousin since Frodo's birth and was more then happy to take the boy. Frodo himself was even more pleased. At the tender age of ten, he was always trying to help his ‘Uncle Bilbo‘, which included housecleaning, cooking and putting things in their proper place.

Bilbo had to admit, even after a few close calls and a few broken dishes, that things were running smoothly with Frodo about in Bag End. The only problem was that his ‘Little Lad” was bound and determined to stay up until Yuletide was officially upon them, which would signal the beginning of winter.

Already, there was a coldness in the air and Bilbo was certain that the first snow would arrive later this week. Bilbo, not having the heart to say no to Frodo wanting to stay up, had agreed to let him.

The Hobbit child was just starting to nod off when there was a knock at the door.

Bilbo didn’t count on Gandalf’s arrival, nor the hidden presents that the wizard had brought in his wagon and wanted desperately to hide so they could be found in the morning.

Frodo was so delighted in meeting Gandalf for the first time that he was even more awake than before. Excited, Frodo remained at Gandalf’s side, asking him nearly a hundred questions.

As soon as Gandalf sat down near the hearth, Frodo dived into his lap and proceeded to play his fingers through Gandalf's very long and curly beard.

“Have you always been a wizard?”

“Can you fly like a bird?”

“Will you grow much taller?”

“How do you walk being so tall with such little feet?”

“Can you make water into fire?”

“Do you really turn people into toads?”

“Do you think you could turn my Aunt Lobelia into a toad, only for a day of course.”

“What are the elves like?”

“Do they sing? Do they dance? Do they look much like us Hobbits?”

“Do you like my jacket? Uncle Bilbo gave it to me yesterday, as an early present, because it's gotten cold and it will keep me warm all winter. Where is your jacket? Do you want Uncle Bilbo to make you one too?”

Through it all, as Bilbo fetched tea and cakes for the tired Wizard, Gandalf answered each question Frodo put to him and all with a smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eye. It wasn’t long before Frodo was insisting that Gandalf was HIS wizard.

After Gandalf had his fill of tea and cakes, he handed a few to the small hobbit, who continued to ask questions even with a cupcake in his mouth, without so much as a spanning a breath for each question.

“Frodo, dearest lad, please! Will you let Gandalf collect his wits,” cried an amused, but firm Bilbo.

It was only then that Frodo paused and looked at his Uncle, then back to Gandalf, where he cast his eyes down sadly. “I’m sorry. . .I didn’t mean to ask so many questions. It's just I heard so much of you and I just can’t believe you’re finally here.”

Gandalf only laughed and winked at Bilbo who smiled back with a deep fondness and love for HIS Frodo-lad.

“That’s all right, my dear Hobbit, but as it happens I know a great deal about you. Why, I saw you the first day you were born.”

Frodo’s blue eyes came up and at once grew even wider than before. “Really?”

“Oh yes, I was just coming to visit Bilbo here when we got word your mother was about to deliver you.”

Bilbo sighed as he made himself some more tea.

“I’ll never forget that night, that cold winter and that dreadful blizzard. When I heard that Primula was having difficulty with her labor. . .” Bilbo paused remembering how, that night, Primula and Frodo almost died.

Fortunately, Gandalf had arrived, like an angel and helped save not only Primula from bleeding to death, but also saving Frodo’s life. Gandalf, seeing Bilbo’s fear, quickly patted his hand gently on Bilbo’s shoulder.

“I’ll never forget that night, Gandalf. Did I ever say thank you?”

Gandalf only winked again and shrugged. “A thousand times, as I recall.”

Bilbo smiled. “You never even told me you were coming to visit. In fact, you never even told me why you had come.”

Gandalf at once looked away, his eyes going to the fire. Glancing at Frodo, Gandalf smiled sadly as Frodo’s tiny fingers continued to curl around his beard.

“I was in the area on an errand for Lady Galadriel and just thought that I might be needed. I still remember holding you in my hands. Frodo, you were so small.”

Frodo at once pulled back and puffed up his chest as he smiled at Gandalf.

“I’m not so small anymore. I’m much bigger, able to help around the house. Mamma even says so, and today I played with Sam and we made our own little garden behind the Gaffer’s smial. Well, it will be a garden, next spring.”

Both Gandalf and Bilbo grinned.

“Oh, Really?”

“He and Sam are almost inseparable. They are going to make great friends and playmates,” chipped in Bilbo, as he pulled out his pipe and bag of weed from his waist pocket.

“He’s my best friend in all the world! He is MY Sam,--he even said he is mine,” replied Frodo, opening his hands as wide as he could to demonstrate his love for his new-found friend. “He knows almost as much as the Old Gaffer about growing things and someday he will tend my Uncle Bilbo’s garden, won’t he, Uncle Bilbo? You will like my Sam, Gandalf, he is so kind and sweet and-”

Bilbo only smiled and puffed quietly on his pipe. “Aren’t you feeling a little tired yet, Frodo-lad?”

“Oh no, Uncle Bilbo!” smiled Frodo with his eyes blinking with delight. “I am going to stay up all night for the beginning of Yuletide. I even took a nap earlier today with Sam under the party tree so I could stay up late with you and My new wizard.”

Pulling out his own pipe and taking some of Bilbo’s own pipeweed, Gandalf chuckled at the child who sat proudly and contentedly in his lap. Gandalf was once again struck by the child’s beauty, as he had been at Frodo’s birth. Even then, the child seemed to emanate a shining light that glowed deep within.

To say Frodo was a beautiful child was an understatement. The child was dazzling and Gandalf found the little one a delight. But for some reason, something inside the wizard felt a wave of sadness over the tiny hobbit. He knew this child was destined for something and that it would not all end well. He had walked many ages in this world and only a small few people had captured his friendship and heart. Bilbo, of course, was one of them, and an elvish lord and a certain rugged ranger, but this one, this little Hobbit, from the moment Gandalf had held Frodo in his arms, had captured his very soul.

When he had heard that Frodo was going to stay with Bilbo for a few weeks, Gandalf had taken great delight in getting some special presents, just for him. Now if only the little hobbit would go to sleep, so he could plant them around the smial to be found in the morning.

He had even wrapped them in silver and gold paper made by the elvish maidens in Rivendell. Elrond, who had heard about the special event, had even sent a few gifts to give to the Hobbit children and Bilbo’s future heir.

Yes, Gandalf already knew from Frodo’s birth that Bilbo was beginning to fear his old age, though he hadn’t aged a day since Gandalf had last seen him. But Hobbits were mortal and Bilbo, not being married, feared greatly that Bag End would finally wind up in the hands of the Sackville-Bagginses. When Frodo was born, Gandalf saw a spark light up in the old hobbit's eyes and it did not go unnoticed that he talked to Drogo in secret or had made up a will in case of his demise.

Bag End would someday fall into this little Hobbit's hands; it was to be his destiny and Bilbo’s final gift to the one Hobbit in the Shire that he adored as his own.

Gandalf returned to the present and half laughed as Frodo spoke the words "My new Wizard" to Bilbo. Already, the little hobbit was growing attached to him.

“Am I your wizard?”

At once, Frodo looked back at Gandalf and his cheeks reddened slightly, but he asked innocently enough, “Don’t you want to be my Wizard? I can be your hobbit if you want me to be?”

Gandalf choked and Bilbo heartily laughed, and all the while Frodo looked at each of them, not understanding why they were laughing. Sometimes, he couldn‘t wait to be an adult so he would understand what some of the in-jokes were about.

Glaring at Bilbo, Gandalf softened his eyes and nodded. “Very well, I shall be your wizard!”

Frodo preened in contentment, once again puffing out his chest.

“And, as your wizard, I bet you know everything, including what is what, don’t you?”

Frodo held his head high.

“Yes, I do.”

“And, since you know so much, you would know exactly when is a good time to go to sleep on Yuletide--which would be now, right?"

“Right!” replied Frodo happily, then stopped. His ears suddenly pinned downwards and Gandalf had to force himself not to laugh in delight as Frodo’s eyes narrowed and his lips pressed together in a most scowling pout. Slowly, his head turned towards Gandalf and when Frodo spoke it was obvious that he was one unhappy hobbit.

“That-was-NOT-very nice.”

“No, it wasn’t,” replied Gandalf quickly, trying desperately to keep from laughing. Even as mad as Frodo was, he still looked absolutely adorable.

“You tricked me!”

“I did indeed. Now off to bed and tomorrow, after second breakfast, I will tell you a story about the High Elvish Lord Gil-Galad.”

Frodo only slid down to the floor, put both hands around his waist, and tapped his foot angrily. His eyes still glared at the wizard. Bilbo decided to take things in hand.

“I guess I'd better put this most irate and annoyed Hobbit to bed.”

Bilbo picked Frodo up into his arms and started to carry him from the room, but Frodo looked back at Gandalf with a pout on his lips and his hands still around his waist.

“MOSTEST irate and annoyed hobbit!” replied Frodo before he vanished down the hall.

Sure that the hobbit was out of hearing distance, Gandalf lightly chuckled and, getting to his feet, hurried out to the wagon to fetch the presents.

***

By morning, after a hearty first breakfast and finding two of his ten hidden presents, Frodo had long since forgiven his wizard for the trick he'd played. When Sam arrived, Frodo found the rest of his gifts. Then later, Frodo spent the day playing with Sam out in the garden.

Bilbo and Gandalf watched in delight as the children played by the kitchen window. For a moment, all the world felt wonderful and at peace. It was then Bilbo felt a cold wind blow inside the window and into the kitchen and he suddenly felt an unexpected fear strike at his heart.

“Bilbo?” Seeing Bilbo’s fright, Gandalf placed a gentle hand on Bilbo’s shoulder, steadying the now-shaking elderly hobbit.

Collecting his wits, the hobbit, though still pale, forced a smile to his lips.

“It's all right. I just felt, well, just for a moment I thought I felt evil. Silly, foolish old hobbit aren’t I? Excuse me Gandalf, I have to get the apple dumplings from the pantry. Frodo’s Brandybuck and Took cousins will be arriving this afternoon and Pippin, the youngest, tends to eat a great deal, with Merry coming in a close second.”

As Bilbo hurried away, Gandalf stayed by the window, silently listening to the wind. He would not tell Bilbo that he too felt the air change and the bite of something dark enter the kitchen. In fact, it was still here…coming from somewhere in the smial.

Turning, he hurried out of the room and followed the trail to Bilbo’s living room, to the fireplace and the mantle, where in a glass jar upon a shelf was a small shining object that sparkled almost in glee. Narrowing his eyes, Gandalf suddenly realized that a great evil had just awoken.

It was yet to come to pass, but it would…soon.

The End!